


Memorandum of Understanding

by libraralien



Category: Taskmaster (UK TV) RPF
Genre: Contracts, Dom/sub, M/M, Negotiations, Origin Story, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:35:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28145442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/libraralien/pseuds/libraralien
Summary: Greg isn't going to let this get weird or anything.
Relationships: Greg Davies/Alex Horne
Comments: 5
Kudos: 26
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	Memorandum of Understanding

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ouro_boros](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ouro_boros/gifts).



If you had asked Greg, he would have said that he had an above-average head for business, as far as comedians go. Sure, he had an agent and personal assistant to handle a lot of those things - he would not claim to be an expert - but he'd had a whole previous career and some years on a lot of younger comedians in the business, and he liked to think that this had left him with a degree of common sense about it all.

So he was suspicious when Alex Horne told him that he wanted to get together to go over the contract for Alex's new show, Taskmaster, that Greg was signing on to host. As far as he understood, it was all but a done deal, the network and their agents were just dotting i's and crossing t's, hammering out the odd detail. So what on earth could Alex want out of meeting just the two of them? Hadn't he already gone through enough emails and conference calls and meetings about the deal? Isn't this the kind of thing they both paid people for? It could be a friendly, social contract review. He didn't know Alex well, barely at all, in fact, but he was a bit odd, so maybe that was the kind of thing he would do, as far as Greg knew

"Let's meet at the Taskmaster house," Alex had said in the email, followed by an address. If nothing else, it would be a chance to scope out the house that had been purchased for the show, Greg thought, not incredibly relevant for the role he was to play, but certainly no harm in it. The show might not have been dreamed up by him, but Greg was actually pretty excited and curious about this new venture. 

Alex was already there, the morning he showed up. He let Greg in, and fixed him a cup of tea, while Greg looked around the surprisingly well-furnished house. It looked almost like somebody could actually live there, if you ignored the room that was completely empty, save being covered in clear plastic sheeting. He understood practically that this must be for handling tasks where the contestants were likely to make a mess, but it did look like was intended for perpetrating a murder in, or else some kind of grim pornography.

"So what's all this about, then?" he said as he sat down on the sofa, ready to get on with whatever business it was Alex had called him here for, now that he had had his look around, and was now feeling a bit annoyed by the prospect of paperwork.

Alex looked exceptionally apologetic as he handed Greg a thick, black plastic three-ring binder. Greg produced his glasses from his jacket pocket before opening it. He was sure he would need to start wearing them full time before long.

 _Agreement Between Greg Davies (Taskmaster) and Alex Horne (Taskmaster's Assistant),_ the first page read. It was tidily organized into sections, marked with dividers and tabs. The thought of reading this much dry legal wordage made him feel preemptively exhausted. What could be in there to fill this many pages that needed his personal attention?

"Alex," he said wearily, "I know we both have people to handle the contracts for the show and all that. What are you trying to get me to read and sign? Will you tell me, or am I going to have to read this whole door-stopper and figure it out myself?"

"Yes, the official side of things is mostly taken care of, I understand," Alex said, "This is more about the personal responsibilities of being the Taskmaster. Off-camera, you might say."

Greg did not appreciate this nervous evasiveness from the person he was about to have at least one series worth of professional partnership with. He opened the binder to a random section and started to read.

And rather than finding it impenetrably dry and legal, or somehow trying to sucker money out of him or something, he found that it was quite juicy. The more he read, the further his eyebrows raised. If he was reading it correctly, it proposed that the two of them would move into the Taskmaster house, with Greg as Taskmaster and Alex promising to fulfil his role of "Taskmaster's Assistant" at all times, even when not on camera.

Greg would have full control over Alex. The contract listed all the areas of Alex's life Greg would now be in charge of: when he went to bed and woke up, what meals he ate, where he slept, what clothes he wore, where he was allowed to go, who he was allowed to see.

Alex cleared his throat. "I have a list of proposed responsibilities of the Taskmaster's Assistant, if you will turn to section 5C. But of course, those are non-binding suggestions, since you would be the one dictating all the responsibilities, rules, restrictions et cetera."

Greg flipped to the section Alex described, scanning quickly, trying not to give away being caught off guard by, well, all of this.

"Proposed responsibilities include: preparing the Taskmaster's meals, entertaining the Taskmaster, sexual fulfillment of the Taskmaster…"

His eyes caught on the words "sexual fulfillment" but his brain refused to process that aspect of it in the moment. Obviously he wouldn't take advantage of that part of what Alex was agreeing to, or offering, or whatever. Best not to bring it up at all.

"It's about committing to the characters," Alex said, clearly trying to explain himself, as Greg took in what he was reading, though still utterly businesslike. "What do you think?"

He surprised himself by not immediately saying no. It felt surreal to be seriously considering this, but it's not like Greg had the most active personal life to be disrupted by a weird experiment like this. And it was just that, after all: an experiment. And as far as he could tell, there was hardly a catch on his side. Alex was the one swearing himself completely to Greg's whims and desires. It might be fun, like a gap year.

He would go all in, he decided. The show might succeed, but he couldn't imagine that Alex would continue to live with him and obey him for more than a week or so. He decided he would try to push the boundaries of tolerability for Alex, as long as it didn't get weird. He wouldn't let it get weird or anything.

***

_Five years later_

The thought occurred to the Taskmaster one morning, as he let his Assistant out from the locked cage at the foot of his bed, where he slept in his dog bed, that perhaps it was all a bit strange. Nobody else he knew lived with their Assistant, let alone did some of the things he did for his. And it was not as if it could be the easiest for his Assistant either, especially when episodes of the show were being filmed, since he had to clean up all the messes the contestants made in every room in their home every day of filming. (Well, not every room; at least the contestants never went in their bedroom, or the special secret basement dungeon of their home.) But then, nobody else was the Taskmaster

At any rate, there was no time to worry about that. Even now between series, there was barely time to rest. 

"You have a very busy day ahead of you, Taskmaster," his Assistant informed him, as he washed and dressed the Taskmaster. 

It was all written up on his Taskmaster's Assistant iPad, so there was no getting out of it. First, he had to give his Assistant his morning cuddle, which lasted exactly one hour, and during which time his Assistant could not get any work done, on account of being trapped on the ground underneath the Taskmaster's body. Then he had to plan his Assistant's meals for the week, so that he could send him out to do the shopping. It was a lot of work making sure he did all the things that his Assistant needed him to do.

"You hovering around with things to do all day, it's getting on my nerves," the Taskmaster said," I need you out of the way if I'm ever going to relax for a fucking minute. I think tomorrow I'll tie you up somewhere I don't have to see you for a few hours."

"Yes, Taskmaster."

"Just yes?"

"Thank you, Taskmaster."

That was more like it. He did relish his authority.

Still, his worries remained on the Taskmaster's mind later in the day, while his Assistant licked all of the Taskmaster's shoes clean. He knew that it was part of the Taskmaster's Assistant's job to clean the Taskmaster's shoes, but he couldn't help but wonder if there might be a way that was faster, or easier, or cleaner. 

But then, his Assistant had told him that this was part of the Taskmaster's Assistant's responsibilities, and who was he to question how these things were done. He didn't make the rules. Well actually, officially, he did make the rules. But more often that not, his Assistant had to prompt him as to what the rules should be. And even if there was a faster, easier, or cleaner way of having his shoes cleaned, he doubted he would enjoy any of them as much.

Evenings could be the busiest of all. This evening, they went in their special room covered in plastic.

He ordered his Assistant to undress, but he stayed clothed himself. It was important for him to maintain his air of authority. He knew it made his Assistant uncomfortable, and that his Assistant liked to be uncomfortable.

And it wasn't enough to just tell his Assistant what to do. He had to be mean about it, because his Assistant was a pathetic, obedient little worm, who had to be reminded of this fact every day. He especially had to be reminded of this fact while he was sucking the Taskmaster's cock.

Of course, it wasn't all about discipline; part of being Taskmaster was rewarding people as well. He rewarded his Assistant by putting a ball-gag in his mouth and allowing him to wank himself off onto the floor at the Taskmaster's feet. He then ordered him to clean up after himself and spanked him for making a mess.

After all that, the Taskmaster was tired and ready for bed. After he had gotten in his pajamas, had his teeth brushed by his Assistant, ordered his Assistant to undress and get in his cage, and locked him in, he could finally lay down.

"Taskmaster, I had some news to tell you that I forgot to mention earlier," his Assistant said, from the foot of the bed, just as he had closed his eyes.

"You forgot, did you? Abysmal work. You'll be paying for it tomorrow though, I can't be arsed right now. What is it you wanted to tell me?" he said into the dark.

"There was official confirmation from the network, the show has been renewed for another series."

"How about that. I suppose we will have to keep doing this too, then."

"Yes, Taskmaster."

The worries of the day forgotten and his mind at ease, the Taskmaster drifted soundly off to sleep.


End file.
